After Magnus Valorion finished his furious speech, he looked around at the surrounding crowd, noticing that no parents stepped forward to claim the child.
The crowd on the street began to whisper among themselves.
"Whose parents are so careless, and still superstitious enough to believe that human blood and flesh can cure diseases?"
"Exactly, our leader teaches us practical knowledge during the day and also runs night schools for us and our children. How can anyone not believe in our leader?"
"Yes, yes, since I learned about bacteria and schistosomes that are invisible to the naked eye, I've stopped drinking raw water. We always boil it before drinking, and it has indeed solved my stomach problems."
People on the street discussed the knowledge they had learned in night school.
Everyone present knew that the knowledge imparted by their leader was extremely practical. Almost everyone in Green River Town now regarded Magnus Valorion's words as the gospel.
Unable to find any parents to blame, the infuriated Magnus Valorion could only vent his frustration on the clay pot in his hand.
Magnus threw the clay pot to the ground, and it shattered into pieces with a crisp sound. Not feeling relieved, Magnus stomped on the shards angrily.
The little boy, Jack Parker, watched as his clay pot was smashed to pieces, his eyes suddenly sparkling with tears.
His sister, Alice Parker, had fallen ill shortly after they arrived in Green River Town. Jack, on the way to the north, had heard that the blood of the executed could save lives.
By chance, he heard that Magnus Valorion was summoning the townsfolk to watch the execution of Tuco and the "One-Eyed Man". To save his sister, Jack bravely went to collect the blood with his clay pot.
But to his dismay, the blood he had painstakingly collected was destroyed by this official before him, who even stomped on the last clay pot his family owned.
He just wanted to save his sister, but why was fate so cruel?
Overwhelmed by grievance, Jack couldn't hold back his tears anymore and started crying loudly.
The boy cried and feebly pounded on Magnus Valorion's leg, calling him the worst names he knew.
"You… bad man!"
"Corrupt… dog… thief…" The boy used the harshest words he knew to curse Magnus.
Old Henry Walker beside them said with a smile, "Sir, he's just a child, he doesn't know any better. Please don't take it to heart."
Magnus wouldn't stoop to argue with a child, but someone else wouldn't let it slide!
Michael Harris, a gate guard who had just finished his shift, wanted to see the excitement of Tuco's execution, but was shocked to hear someone calling their leader a corrupt dog and thief.
Michael Harris couldn't stand it. In his eyes, Magnus Valorion was like a god. Insulting him in Green River Town was like a mouse taunting a cat, asking for trouble.
Quickly stepping forward, Michael Harris saw it was the same boy he had registered into town with his sister yesterday.
Knowing the boy was new, Michael didn't act rashly but instead asked the bystanders what had happened.
Learning that the boy had collected "human blood," Michael Harris hurried to explain to Magnus.
"Sir, I recognize this boy. He isn't from Green River Town. He entered the town yesterday with his sister, and I registered them."
Hearing this, Magnus immediately understood why someone would use such an ignorant method for treatment. This boy and his family hadn't attended his night school.
Magnus wouldn't blame the boy and his family for their ignorance.
But Magnus was still angry because he had introduced a policy for medical reimbursement to attract people to settle in Green River Town, which he called "medical insurance."
Although it was called reimbursement, in reality, almost no one in Green River Town had to pay for medical treatments, as Magnus used the money earned from selling system grain to cover the costs.
That the boy's family didn't seek medical help and used such a superstitious method indicated that Magnus's medical insurance policy hadn't fully succeeded yet.
"Go, find the pharmacist Sam Wilson and the doctor George Mitchell. I need to ask if they have neglected any patients."
Soon, Sam Wilson and George Mitchell came running.
On their way, they had asked why Magnus was summoning them.
Understanding Magnus's thoughts, Sam and George examined the boy upon arrival.
"Sir, fewer people have come for treatment in the past two days. We haven't seen this boy or his family in our pharmacy, let alone refused to treat anyone."
Magnus had calmed down while waiting and realized that the boy's family must have fallen ill shortly after arriving, leading to their desperate measure.
"This boy's family must be ill. You two should go treat them immediately, or they wouldn't have resorted to such ignorance."
Sam and George had feared being scolded, but were surprised by Magnus's compassion, instructing them to treat the boy's family.
Magnus took the opportunity to win hearts with a slogan: "As long as you come to Green River Town, you are one of us. We must help each other."